Modern cereal grain harvesting combines have grown substantially in size and productive capacity. However, one area of poor performance common to many combines is in the header design. The header, which cuts and transfers the cut crop material into the feeder area may limit the ground speed of the combine, by jamming if material is fed unevenly or if material is allowed to build up adjacent to the reel.
In most combines, the header provides three key structures. A plurality of shears are front mounted on the header plate and cut grass-type crops a few inches from the soil. Left and right augers transfer the cut crop material into a central region. Rotating spikes then propel the cut material into the combine. The augers and the spikes are carried by a rotating reel, which is typically hydraulically powered.
In many cases the header fails to feed grain into the combine fast enough. This can result in crop buildup and clogging.
A primary cause of this problem is that the rotating spikes must have adequate clearance with the header plate. This means that cut crop material must build up sufficiently before contact is made with the spikes, propelling the material into the combine. Waiting for this buildup is contrary to the goal of eliminating clogging by preventing buildup.
What is needed is an improvement for a combine header that causes cut crop material to feed more quickly and more evenly. The improvement must eliminate the need to wait for cut material to build up to a level sufficient for contact with the rotating spikes. The improvement must cooperate with the auger and spikes used in prior art headers, and must additionally tend to lift cut crop material upwardly, where it will be engaged by the rotating spikes carried by the reel.